ch of sound birthwort, savin colocinthis,
stavescare and black hellebore, with a small sprig or two of rue.

But if these things have not the desired effect, and the woman's danger
increases, let the surgeon use his instruments to dilate and widen the
womb, for which purpose the woman must be placed on a chair, so that she
may turn her buttocks as far from its back as possible, at the same time
drawing up her legs as close as she can and spreading her thighs open as
wide as possible; or if she is very weak it may be better to lay her on
the bed with her head downwards, her buttocks raised and both legs drawn
up. Then the surgeon may dilate the womb with his speculum matrices and
draw out the child and the afterbirth together, if it be possible, and
when this is done, the womb must be well washed and anointed, and the
woman put back to bed and comforted with spices and cordials. This
course must be adopted in the case of dead children and moles,
afterbirths and false births, which will not come out of themselves, at
the proper time. If the aforementioned instrument will not widen the
womb sufficiently, then other instruments, such as the drake's bill, or
long pincers, ought to be used.

If any inflammation, swelling or congealed blood happens to be
contracted in the womb under the film of these tumours, either before or
after the birth, let the midwife lance it with a penknife or any
suitable instrument, and squeeze out the matter, healing it with a
pessary dipped in oil of red roses.

If the child happens at any time to be swollen through cold or violence,
or has contracted a watery humour, if it is alive, such means must be
used as are least injurious to the child or mother; but if it be dead,
the humours must be let out by incisions, to facilitate the birth.

If, as often happens, the child is presented feet foremost, with the
hands spreading out from the hips, the midwife must in such a case be
provided with the necessary ointments to rub and anoint the child with,
to help it coming forth, lest it should turn into the womb again,
holding both the infant's arms close to the hips at the same time, that
it may come out in this manner; but if it proves too big, the womb must
be well anointed. The woman should also take a sneezing powder, to make
her strain; the attendant may also stroke her stomach gently to make the
birth descend, and to keep it from returning.

It happens occasionally, that the child presenting its